이 논고는 최경회(1532~1593 ; 중종27~선조26)의 간찰과 이듬해 8월까지 작성된 다른 사람의 간찰 등 총 4통의 간찰자료를 이용하여 임진왜란 당시 경상우도에서 활동한 전라우도 의병에 대한 선학들의 연구성과를 보강하고자 한 글이다. 간찰은 작성자의 주관이 개입되고 단편적 사실만을 확인할 수 있다는 점과 자료 접근의 제약으로 인하여 역사연구 자료로 주목받지 못하였다. 그러나 간찰은 가장 직접적이고 현장성 있는 연구 자료로서 다른 자료의 결함을 보완하거나 연구의 실마리를 제공할 수 있다는 점에서 주목된다. 이 글에서 주로 분석한 간찰은 최경회가 작성하여 경상우도순찰사 김성일에게 보낸 다음의 간찰 2점이다. ① 국립진주박물관 소장 1592년 10월 22일 작성 간찰(크기 68.5×38.5cm) ② 성균관대학교박물관 소장 1592년 11월 2일 작성 간찰(크기 26.0×40.0cm) 이 간찰은 수신자가 동일인이고 작성 시기에서 12일 차이를 두고 선후관계를 이루고 있어 사료적 가치가 높다고 할 것이다. 이글의 성과는 전라우도 의병의 경우 그간 많은 연구성과가 있었지만 자료적 결함으로 인해 알려지지 않았던 세밀한 부분을 새로 밝힌 것이다. 첫째, 최경회는 ‘孤哀子’라는 표현에서 알 수 있듯이, 의병을 일으켰지만 모친상 중인 자신은 유학자로서 ‘효’를 다하려는 의지를 가지고 있었다. 둘째, 전라우도 의병의 실제 규모는 1천6백 명으로 본진에 4백 명, 牛旨峙에 1천2백 명이 분산 배치되었음이 밝혀졌다. 셋째, 전라우도 의병군 지휘부는 대장 최경회—부장 고득뢰—종사관 곽천성—참모 문홍원 등이 활동하였고, 그외 참모와 장서, 군기·군량·쇄마 등에 대한 감관 등으로 구성되었다. 넷째, 전라우도 의병은 경상도의 관찰사 및 각지의 관군, 경상우도의 의병진과 긴밀한 연락을 통하여 군사를 배치하고 연합작전을 벌인 사실을 구체적으로 알 수 있다. 다섯째, 전라우도 의병의 成軍과 내부의 이동사항이나 기강 상태와 군율의 적용을 엿볼 수 있다. 이상의 연구 결과 불완전하지만 간찰 자료는 종래 관찬자료나 문집 등에서는 볼 수 없는 세밀한 부분을 파악하는데 도움을 주어 역사연구의 풍부성과 다양성을 더할 수 있는 가치가 있음을 알 수 있다. 앞으로 역사연구의 공백을 메울 수 있는 간찰자료의 체계적인 집성과 탈초 정서, 번역, 분석 등이 학계에서 이루어지는 계기가 되었으면 한다.

This article is intended to reinforce the former times research about the Western Jeolla-do Province(全羅右道) Civilian Volunteers(義兵) that had activities in Western Gyeongsang-do Province(慶尙右道) at the time of Imjin War, Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, through 4 antique letters including those by Choi Gyeong-Hoi(崔慶會, 1532～1593) and those written by others on the next year August. By now antique letters have been neglected as historical research materials, partly because they may contain subjective views of a writer and provide fragmentary information and partly because the letters have a limited access. However it is noticed that antique letters can make up a blank of other information or provide a clue of a research because they are the most direct and lively research information. Letters analyzed in the study includes the following two written by Choi Gyeong-Hoi: ① Collection of Jinju National Museum, written on October 22, 1592(Size 68.5×38.5cm) ② Collection of Sungkyunkwan University Museum, written on November 2, 1592(Size 26.0×40.0cm) The above two antique letters recipients were Kim Seong-il(金誠一) who was a governor of Western Gyeongsang-do Province(慶尙右道). As they have a sequential relation with a 12-day difference in terms of the time of preparation, considerably they are of great value as historical documents. Despite of many researches about the Western Jeolla-do Province Civilian Volunteers by now, specific details about the volunteer could not be examined due to defective materials. Nevertheless, the study presents the new facts through the antique letters as follow: First, Choi Gyeong-Hoi raised the civilian volunteer with the expression of 'a person in mourning for parents' death(孤哀子)', which was intended to inform that he was in mourning for her mother's death as a Confucian scholar. Second, the actual number of the Western Jeolla-do Province Civilian Volunteers was 1,600; 400 dispatched in the military headquarter and the rest 1,200 in Ujichi(牛旨峙). Third, commanders of the Western Jeolla-do Province Civilian Volunteers included Chief Choi Gyeong-Hoi, Executive Officer Go Deuk-Roi(高得賚), Assistant General Goak Cheon-Seong(郭天成) and Staff Officer Moon Hong-Won(文弘獻) and so on. The volunteer also was composed of other staff officers and supervisors of documents, weapons, food and horses. Fourth, the letters give specific details that the Western Jeolla-do Province Civilian Volunteers arranged soldiers and conducted joint operation through close contact with a governor of Western Gyeongsang-do Province, government troops of different areas and the Western Gyeongsang-do Province Civilian Volunteers. Fifth, the letters show composition, internal mobility, military spirit and disciplines of the Western Jeolla-do Province Civilian Volunteers. As above the antique letters helps us understanding specific parts of previous government books and collections, which could not be found before. Despite of the incomplete analysis, this study contributes to finding out that the antique letters are valuable to add richness and diversity of historical researches. I wish this study be a momentum that the academic society begins systematically gathering antique letters, which can bridge the gap of historical researches, along with changing difficult handwriting into neat writing, making a fair copy, translating and analyzing them.

This article is intended to reinforce the former times research about the Western Jeolla-do Province(全羅右道) Civilian Volunteers(義兵) that had activities in Western Gyeongsang-do Province(慶尙右道) at the time of Imjin War, Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, through 4 antique letters including those by Choi Gyeong-Hoi(崔慶會, 1532～1593) and those written by others on the next year August. By now antique letters have been neglected as historical research materials, partly because they may contain subjective views of a writer and provide fragmentary information and partly because the letters have a limited access. However it is noticed that antique letters can make up a blank of other information or provide a clue of a research because they are the most direct and lively research information. Letters analyzed in the study includes the following two written by Choi Gyeong-Hoi: ① Collection of Jinju National Museum, written on October 22, 1592(Size 68.5×38.5cm) ② Collection of Sungkyunkwan University Museum, written on November 2, 1592(Size 26.0×40.0cm) The above two antique letters recipients were Kim Seong-il(金誠一) who was a governor of Western Gyeongsang-do Province(慶尙右道). As they have a sequential relation with a 12-day difference in terms of the time of preparation, considerably they are of great value as historical documents. Despite of many researches about the Western Jeolla-do Province Civilian Volunteers by now, specific details about the volunteer could not be examined due to defective materials. Nevertheless, the study presents the new facts through the antique letters as follow: First, Choi Gyeong-Hoi raised the civilian volunteer with the expression of 'a person in mourning for parents' death(孤哀子)', which was intended to inform that he was in mourning for her mother's death as a Confucian scholar. Second, the actual number of the Western Jeolla-do Province Civilian Volunteers was 1,600; 400 dispatched in the military headquarter and the rest 1,200 in Ujichi(牛旨峙). Third, commanders of the Western Jeolla-do Province Civilian Volunteers included Chief Choi Gyeong-Hoi, Executive Officer Go Deuk-Roi(高得賚), Assistant General Goak Cheon-Seong(郭天成) and Staff Officer Moon Hong-Won(文弘獻) and so on. The volunteer also was composed of other staff officers and supervisors of documents, weapons, food and horses. Fourth, the letters give specific details that the Western Jeolla-do Province Civilian Volunteers arranged soldiers and conducted joint operation through close contact with a governor of Western Gyeongsang-do Province, government troops of different areas and the Western Gyeongsang-do Province Civilian Volunteers. Fifth, the letters show composition, internal mobility, military spirit and disciplines of the Western Jeolla-do Province Civilian Volunteers. As above the antique letters helps us understanding specific parts of previous government books and collections, which could not be found before. Despite of the incomplete analysis, this study contributes to finding out that the antique letters are valuable to add richness and diversity of historical researches. I wish this study be a momentum that the academic society begins systematically gathering antique letters, which can bridge the gap of historical researches, along with changing difficult handwriting into neat writing, making a fair copy, translating and analyzing them.

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Imjin War, Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, Choi Gyeong-Hoi(崔慶會), Kim Seong-il(金誠一), Kim Myeon(金沔), antique letter, Western Jeolla-do Province(全羅右道), Civilian Volunteers(義兵), Western Gyeongsang-do Province(慶尙右道)